


One Up

by krisherdown



Series: Smart People [3]
Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: Friends With Benefits, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-14
Updated: 2011-04-14
Packaged: 2017-12-06 03:31:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/731012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krisherdown/pseuds/krisherdown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Follow-up to No Rhythm, prequel of sorts to Smart People.  Six months after a very drunken night together, Roddick confronts Richie and they figure out terms of their arrangement. Title kind of explains something that happens in the last chapter of the main story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Up

“How could you walk past me the last six months and not even _hint_ that we hooked up?”  
   
“Ow!” Richard yells, dealing with the sudden force of his back hitting against the wall.  He knows he had been in the hallway returning to his suite and somehow he’s now in Roddick’s room.  Roddick shoves him again, hovering over him, and Richard snaps, “What the hell?”  
   
“No, you tell me what the hell...”  
   
“We were drunk, it was a mistake, no need to make it awkward.”  Richard had thought that would be sufficient but Roddick comes in closer, one arm leaning against the door and glaring down at him.  
   
“So you do know what I’m talking about.”   
   
“Why does it even matter?  You said yourself you needed a release that night.  That’s all it was.  Right?”  
   
Roddick lets out a sigh and bows his head, then backs up.  “This is true.  That was the plan.  It’s just…” The RA shakes his head, then, “There was something about that night.  I mean, we were incredible together.  Even though I didn’t remember _who_ I was with, I kept dreaming about _what_ had happened.  I wanted that feeling back so badly.  I’m not proud of the means I tried to relive it…”  
   
“Meaning you were kind of a slut?” Richard supplies, knowing about the rumors that had circulated since. Then again, he’d also assumed he was part of Roddick’s slut phase, which was enough reason to not acknowledge what had happened.  
   
“That might be true.” Roddick looks away briefly before continuing, “All that interaction accomplished was making the dreams more vivid.  Soon there was a voice which I couldn’t quite place.  Then I heard you annoying your suitemate with those crude stories and it clicked.”  
   
Richard chuckles as he recalls, “When I said I’d torment you in your memory, I didn’t think that could literally happen.  Tormenting _that_ Andy is fun since I want to see what he’ll do when he’s ready to retaliate but... yeah, didn't mean to do that to you.”  
   
"Actually I did have a specific reason for bringing it up.  Maybe I'm wrong but..."  Roddick bites on his lip, trying to figure out how to phrase his point.  When he finally knows, he is hesitant when he says, "Okay, here it goes. I think we could benefit each other."  
   
"Benefit?  How..."  Richard stops as he feels Roddick closing in, a hand moving to the Frenchman’s hip.  "Oh.  That type of benefit.  Very _friendly_ benefit indeed.”  
   
Roddick uses his other hand to fiddle with a button on Richard’s shirt. “Exactly. I mean, we get along okay but not close friends so it’s not as if sex would kill it. But we’re both into casual relations and it’d be much easier this way than dealing with attempting to hook up with others. Even if we found someone else, it wouldn’t really matter.”  
   
“Do you seriously believe we react well? Seems combustible mix to me, although I guess it’s like when hydrocarbons combine with oxygen to produce different forms of useful energy, along with carbon dioxide and water, of course…”  
   
Roddick pushes Richard back against the wall but he can’t help but laugh. “Seriously? You should know better than throwing those terms around _me_. This started because of a poor grade in that class!”  
   
“Yeah, well, I sound a lot better throwing around the chemistry terms than Professor Federer. Make sure I’m the only voice you associate with that.” Richard knows better than to turn down a frisky Andy Roddick. Problem is both their resistances are lower because of how well the last time went.  
   
“You’re going to have to prove this point to me. I do not believe that statement. All you know are cheesy pick-up lines involving gravitational pull.”  
   
Richard gives a light chuckle, then tilts his head as he determines what he could say that would work here. “I was reading a book the other day about the properties of helium. Just couldn’t put it down.” He shakes his head, looking down as he mutters, “That was really stupid but at least it wasn’t a pick-up line. I guess there’s a strong bond… tough to resist when we’re anywhere near each other… the attraction between these two elements is quite strong…”  
   
Roddick places a finger under Richard’s chin to get him to stop rambling. Richard raises his head, then Roddick says, “That’s pretty good, actually. Simple enough for me to understand… and, if you believe what you’re saying, means that you want to hook up again.”  
   
“I suppose it does,” Richard says, then goes against his original plan by pulling on Roddick’s collar and going in for a kiss.  
   
Roddick smiles against Richard’s mouth and cannot help but say, “Good thing I never asked you to tutor me or else we’d never get anything done,” before leading him away from the door and toward the bed.  
   
* * * * *

The next few times seem to follow a pattern. Richard in the stairwell heading upstairs when Roddick approaches from behind and wraps strong arms around his waist before whispering in his ear. Another time there’s a fire drill and Roddick slips a piece of paper in his pocket which describes what dirty deeds would come next (he had to weave away from a prying Novak over that one). The common thread being that Roddick calls the initial shot, then Richard twists it as long as he can before giving in.  
   
So when there’s a building meeting scheduled and, noting the pattern, figuring Roddick will utilize the proximity for another opportunity, Richard decides to beat him to the advance by approaching the RA’s door ten minutes before the meeting.  
   
Roddick opens the door swiftly, clearly having not checked the peephole. “What? I just returned from class, had a professor needing to speak to me about an essay…” Richard doesn’t give him a chance to finish before pushing his way in and shutting the door. “Something wrong?”  
   
Richard shrugs, then slowly walks around the room, knowing that will irritate the harried RA. It’s nearly a minute of Roddick bobbing his head, waiting to get to the point of this, before Richard says, “So are you the only one allowed to make suggestions?”  
   
“Oh.” Roddick relaxes his shoulders, apologetic when he says, “I didn’t mean…”  
   
“Don’t get me wrong. I like you being in control. But… _some_ give and take must occur or else it just seems like I’m around whenever you call and I don’t feel right about that.”  
   
“I hadn’t thought about it but you have a point. Tell you what. So this seems to benefit both of us, how about we alternate our get-togethers? Maybe make it a game where we try to one-up each other.”  
   
“One Up? I like that. Could be _very_ interesting, especially if one of us gets mad. This, I admit, hasn’t happened when we’re together but it’s bound to take place eventually.”

Roddick gives Richard a sideward glance, wondering if he really wants to open that door. Especially since Professor Federer would likely be the one causing Richard to get angry in the first place. Then again, maybe Roddick is just projecting how _he_ feels about being tricked by Federer. “Right. So that would make it your turn.” 

“Okay. Clearly there isn’t enough time now but… just know that you’ll wish there was time because your brain is going to be stuck on what you want to happen after the meeting. I think I saw Novak leave around a bag of lollipops that could really come in handy.”

“Do you think that cheap ploy is going to work on me?” Roddick snaps, then grabs onto Richard’s arm, intending to throw him out. Richard catches Roddick’s other arm and pulls their bodies on top of each other, then maneuvers his trapped arm so his hand can get a grip on Roddick’s belt, keeping them close. 

“You’re right. So cheap,” then gives a wicked smile before going in to kiss Roddick, using the element of surprise to get Roddick to stagger backwards until his back hits the door. Richard works the hand caught between their bodies lower, not surprised to find that the “cheap ploy” had worked just fine. His fingers linger in that spot as he explains, “It was wrong of me to try something that reeks of desperation. I was thinking your brain would be stuck thinking about sex but clearly I was mistaken. You’re a better person than that. I would have tried to convince you to delay the meeting, maybe even give you the blowjob now but you don’t need that kind of release so I’ll just make my way out.”  
   
Roddick shuts his eyes, his breathing ragged. He ekes out, “You’re giving me way too much credit.”  
   
* * * * *  
   
After that disaster of a meeting, Roddick knows he has to up the challenge. Richard did bring the lollipop into play and by avoiding watching that display, Roddick inadvertently has an admirer in Robin, the new RA on the first floor, if the once-over was any indication. It had taken all his power not to embarrass himself in front of a crowd of residents.  
   
The room clears and Roddick spots Richard lingering around, pretending to be reading the fliers on the bulletin board. Roddick chuckles to himself at the absurdity of this situation. A fucking _lollipop_? He wasn’t twelve so why did he fall for something so juvenile?   
   
If Richard wants to be childish, two can play that game. Roddick walks up to Richard and whispers in his ear, “You’re not the only one who can tease. Robin thinks I want him and you must pay for that.” 

“Can’t help that you have no control.” Richard walks forward, knowing Roddick will follow.

Roddick allows Richard to lead the way to their floor, then to Roddick’s room to go along with them appearing inconspicuous, but surprises him by handing over the key. “You want to talk control?” Richard glances at the key, then at Roddick before accepting and turning toward the door to unlock it.  

Richard barely gets in the room when Roddick pushes him so that his face is against the wall. Roddick presses his weight against his back so Richard will feel just how effective his teasing had been. The RA hisses in Richard’s ear, “You’re going to have to beg to get what you want tonight. Much like what you do when I draw you in, that’s now my turn. I can be a cruel bastard when I want to be,” then slowly works his hand down Richard’s chest until he gets to the waist of the jeans. “You think that you were torturous _before_ the meeting? I’m warning you now.”  
   
“Andy, you’re not going to be able to hold yourself back _in order_ to tease me.”  
   
Roddick is about to counter that when he suddenly backs away.  Richard slowly removes himself from the wall, turning around with much trepidation. When Richard finally faces him, Roddick states, “I just realized something. You never told me what you wanted tonight.”  
   
“What?”  
   
“You made a huge point of coming here before the meeting and wanting to set the terms. But you never actually did, just said a few cryptic phrases and teased with sucking that damn lollipop.” Roddick then remembers what else Richard said earlier and shakes his head in disbelief. “If one of us gets angry… did you talk to Robin prior to the meeting?”  
   
“I may have insinuated something a few days ago, though Novak noticed Robin was interested in you before that so didn’t take much...”  
   
“Unbelievable!” But Roddick stops as he realizes what it means if Richard set this up. “This is what you wanted?”  
   
“I was curious… but if I told you, it would have felt staged.”   Richard catches a hint of a smile from Roddick and snaps, “Can you not act like I’m a complete idiot for trying?”  
   
Roddick exclaims, “But this _is_ …” then stops himself just in time to consider everything. It’s rather cute what Richard is trying to do here, clearly having no clue how far this should truly go. There’s a line Roddick has to toe, between having emotions boil over into erotic pleasure and having a legitimate fight that will legitimately have Richard walk out. Roddick tries to be stoic as he finishes the thought, “This is idiotic. Absolutely idiotic. This elaborate ruse, pinning Robin on me. I don’t know why I put up with you. This requires punishment. You’re not going to get what you want,” then pushes Richard back against the wall and devours his mouth, then mutters, “This will teach you not to cross me.”  
   
“If that’s what needs to happen, I will abide.” 


End file.
